Cover -- TABLE OF CONTENTS -- PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- LIST OF ACRONYMS -- GENERAL INTRODUCTION -- Brief Country Profile -- Structure of the Book and Methodological Framework -- Clarification of Concepts -- Part I -- Chapter 1 -- Chapter 2 -- Part II -- Chapter 3 -- UNDERSTANDING THE CRISIS: ANALYSIS OF THE CRISIS STORY USING THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS -- Crisis Nature: Actors and Goals in Benin's 1989 crisis -- The Government as State Actor: Kérékou and his Regime -- Civil Society: Students and Teachers, Workers and Trades Unions -- The National Army -- Religious Leaders and Intellectual Elites -- Benin's Diaspora, Civilian Leaders, and Opposition Groups -- International Actors: the IMF, the World Bank and France -- The Benin Crisis seen through Hegelian Dialectic -- Benin's Crisis through the Lenses of Karl Marx -- The Benin Case in the Light of Critical Theory -- Relative Deprivation and Need Theory in Benin's Crisis -- Benin's Crisis through the Lenses of Galtung's Conflict Triangle: Crisis Diagnosis -- Contradictions in Benin's 1989 Crisis: Goals Incompatibility -- Attitudes in Benin's 1989 Crisis -- Behaviors in Benin's 1989 Crisis -- Conflict Spaces -- Benin's Crisis and Systems Theory -- Part III -- Chapter 4 -- GENERAL APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING SOCIO-POLITICAL CONFLICT -- Use of Violence for Conflict Resolution: Philosophical Assumptions -- Power-Based, Right-Based and Interest-Based Approaches to Conflict Resolution -- Negotiation as an Interest-Based Approach to Conflict Management and Resolution -- Some Strategies or Tactics in Negotiation -- Steps and Use of Integrative Negotiation -- Cultural Anthropological Perspectives on Negotiation in Africa -- Use of Mediation for Conflict Management -- Some Advantages and Challenges of Mediation -- Towards an Emerging Literature on Indigenous Third Party Interventions in Africa.

African Cultural Assets for Negotiation and Mediation: Non Exploited Resources -- Chapter 5 -- NATIONAL CONFERENCE AS A MULTI-TRACK DIPLOMACY MODEL FOR CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AND PEACEMAKING -- Genesis of the National Conference -- Epiphany of the National Conference -- Characteristics of the National Conference -- The Process of the National Conference -- The Pre-Conference Phases -- Recognition of a Problem or Critical Conflict Issue -- Willingness to Repent or Abandon One's Low Socio-Political Will (or a Single Party's Socio-Political Agenda) and Do the Higher Socio-Political Will of the Nation -- Confession of Wrongdoing -- Call for a National Conference -- The Immediate Preparation Phase of the National Conference -- The In-Conference Phases -- Introduction or Opening of the Conference -- Identification of Conflict Issues through Information Gathering -- Information Collection over National Interests and Aspirations through Debates and Reflective listening -- Identification of Possible Solutions -- Declaration and Recognition of the Sovereignty of the Conference, Which Results in Binding Resolutions -- Design of Criteria for Selecting the Best Resolutions -- Selection of the Best Resolutions for the Wellbeing of the Citizens -- General Report -- Adoption and Recognition of the Resolutions -- The Post-Conference Phases -- Referendum on a New Constitution -- Legislative Elections -- Presidential Elections -- The National Conference Compared with Negotiation and Mediation -- On the Nature of the National Conference -- On the Objectives of the National Conference -- On the Process of the National Conference -- Criteria for Selecting the President of the National Conference -- Insider -- Elderliness -- 'Spiritualliness' -- Integrity and Trustworthiness -- Emphasis on the Functions of the President of the National Conference -- Coordination.

Monition -- Communication -- Spiritual Support -- Facilitation -- A Checklist for the President's Daily Review -- Chapter 6 -- TRANSFERABILITY OF THE BENIN MODEL: PROMISE AND CHALLENGES -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in Togo -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in the Republic of Congo -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in Gabon -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in Niger -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in the Former Zaïre -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in Mali -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in Chad -- Socio-Political Crisis and National Conference in the Central African Republic -- DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESS IN THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE -- National Conference: Effectiveness and Limitations -- Determinants of Success -- Recommendations for Divided Societies.